Vaccine Therapy Using Melanoma Peptides for Cytotoxic T Cells and Helper T Cells in Treating Patients With Metastatic Melanoma

RATIONALE: Vaccines made from peptides may make the body build an immune response to kill tumor cells. PURPOSE: This randomized phase II trial is studying four different vaccines using melanoma peptides from cytotoxic T cells and helper T cells to see how well they work in treating patients with metastatic melanoma.

OBJECTIVES: * Compare the cytotoxic T-cell response to each of 12 melanoma peptides restricted by Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA)-A1, -A2, or -A3 in patients with metastatic melanoma vaccinated with or without these 12 melanoma peptides and with or without helper peptides. * Compare the helper T-cell response to each of 6 melanoma helper peptides restricted by HLA-DR molecules in patients treated with these vaccinations. * Determine whether the addition of 6 melanoma helper peptides to a vaccine containing multiple class I Major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-restricted peptides augments T-cell responses to the class I restricted peptides in these patients. * Determine, preliminarily, whether booster vaccination maintains immune response in patients treated with these vaccinations. * Compare the rates of clinical response and survival in patients treated with these vaccinations. * Determine, preliminarily, whether cellular immune response correlates with clinical response and survival rates in patients treated with these vaccinations. OUTLINE: This is a randomized, multicenter study. Patients are stratified according to HLA type (HLA-A1 vs HLA-A2 vs HLA-A1 and -A2 vs HLA-A3) and planned sentinel immunized node biopsy (yes vs no). Patients are randomized to 1 of 4 treatment arms. * Arm I: Patients receive 2 injections of multi-epitope peptide vaccine comprising 12 melanoma peptides restricted by Class I MHC (12MP) emulsified with sargramostim (Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, GM-CSF) and Montanide ISA-51 or Montanide ISA-51 VG (ISA-51) intradermally (ID) and subcutaneously (SC) on day 1 of weeks 1-3 and 1 injection at the primary site only on day 1 of weeks 5-7. * Arm II: Patients receive 2 injections of multi-epitope peptide vaccine comprising 12MP and 1 tetanus helper peptide emulsified with GM-CSF and ISA-51 ID and SC on day 1 of weeks 1-3 and 1 injection at the primary site only on day 1 of weeks 5-7. * Arm III (closed to accrual as of 5/19/08): Patients receive 2 injections of multi-epitope peptide vaccine comprising 12MP and 6 melanoma helper peptides (6HP) emulsified with GM-CSF and ISA-51 ID and SC on day 1 of weeks 1-3 and 1 injection at the primary site only on day 1 of weeks 5-7. * Arm IV: Patients receive 2 injections of multi-epitope peptide vaccine comprising 6HP emulsified with GM-CSF and ISA-51 ID and SC on day 1 of weeks 1-3 and 1 injection at the primary site only on day 1 of weeks 5-7. In all arms, patients continue therapy in the absence of unacceptable toxicity or disease progression necessitating other urgent therapy. Patients are evaluated at 8 and 12 weeks. Beginning 2-3 weeks after the week-12 evaluation, patients with no evidence of disease progression may receive booster vaccinations according to their randomized treatment arm. Patients receive booster vaccination ID and SC once weekly for 3 weeks. Treatment repeats every 9 weeks for 1 course, every 12 weeks for 2 courses, and then every 24 weeks for 2 courses OR for up to 2 years (whichever comes first) provided the patient does not require an urgent change in therapy. After completion of study treatment, patients are followed every 6 months for 2 years and then for survival for 5 years from study randomization. ACTUAL ACCRUAL: A total of 175 patients were accrued for this study during March 2005 and January 2009.